Nancy Wilson obit

Nancy Wilson, Legendary Vocalist And Jazz Icon, Dies At 81

 

She was not on the list.

Legendary vocalist, actor, and pillar of the jazz community Nancy Wilson died on Dec. 13 at her home in Pioneertown, California, after a long battle with illness. She was 81.

In her nearly six-decade career, Wilson touched many musical genres. Known for her unique vocal phrasing, sultry tone and prowess for turning songs into stories, her catalog weaved through jazz, R&B and pop. She worked with the likes of Cannonball Adderley and George Shearing and toured with Sarah Vaughan, Ruth Brown, Nat “King” Cole and more.

Born on Feb. 27, 1937 in Chillicothe, Ohio, Wilson arrived on the scene in 1961 with her debut single, “Guess Who I Saw Today.” Three years later, her breakout moment came with “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am,” which earned Wilson her first GRAMMY Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for the 7th GRAMMY Awards. The song also climbed to No. 11 on Billboard’s Hot 100, giving Wilson the biggest chart hit of her career.

Wilson went on to win two additional GRAMMYs in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category for her 2004 album R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) at the 47th GRAMMY Awards and the follow-up, 2006’s Turned To Blue at the 49th GRAMMY Awards, the title track of which came from a Maya Angelou poem.

From 1996 through 2005, Nancy Wilson hosted NPR’s “Jazz Profiles,” a documentary series profiling the legends and legacy of jazz.

“Nancy was a self-described "song stylist" whose refined vocals contributed to her success as a versatile artist who was able to create unique interpretations of songs that extended beyond the jazz genre, says Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. “Nancy's musical talent and sophisticated style will inspire audiences for years to come. She will be dearly missed, and our sincerest condolences go out to her loved ones at this difficult time.”

Wilson is survived by her three children and five grandchildren. In accordance with Wilson’s last wishes, a celebration of her life will be held in lieu of a funeral service. Details are forthcoming.

Wilson’s legacy lives on in the recordings she leaves behind for posterity as well as in the immeasurable influence she’s had on the countless artists who have followed the guidance of her light and the generations to come.

Wilson was born on February 20, 1937 in Chillicothe, Ohio, to Olden Wilson, an iron foundry worker, and Lillian Ryan. Wilson attended Burnside Heights Elementary School and developed her singing skills by participating in church choirs. She attended West High School in Columbus, Ohio where she won a talent contest and was rewarded with a role as a host for a local television show. She then went on to attend Ohio’s Central State University where she pursued her B.A. degree in education.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1964      The Killers           Singer   uncredited

1983      The Big Score     Angie Hooks      

1993      The Meteor Man              Mrs. Laws           

2005      The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie      Herself

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1965      Burke's Law        Choo Choo          Episode: "Who Killed Wimbledon Hastings?"

1966      I Spy       Lori        Episode: Lori

1966–1967          The Red Skelton Show    Singer/Store Detective/Dr. Cagney           Episode: "The Bum Who Came in from the Cold" (1966)

Episode: "Clothes Make the Bum" (1967)

1968      That's Life            Lillian Moore      Episode: "Bachelor Days"

Episode: "How We Met"

The Carol Burnett Show                 Herself Guest starring with Lucille Ball and Eddie Albert

1970      Room 222            Michelle Scott   Episode: "Play It Loose"

Hawaii Five-O    Eadie Jordan       Episode: "Trouble In Mind"

1972      O'Hara, U.S. Treasury      Poppy Grant       Episode: "Operation: Rake-Off"

1973      Search   Sugar Francis      Episode: "The Mattson Papers"

The F.B.I.             Darlene Clark     Episode: "The Confession"

1974      Police Story        Kelly Craig           Episode: "World Full of Hurt"

1989      It's a Living          Ivy Reynolds       Episode: "The Ginger's Mother Show"

The Cosby Show               Lorraine Kendall               Episode: " Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables"

1993–1994          The Sinbad Show              Louise Bryan       9 episodes

1995–1997          The Parent 'Hood'            Dr. Carolyn Plemmer/Elizabeth Episode: "The Paw That Rocks the Cradle" (1995)

Episode: "Mother and Law" (1997)

2001      The Parkers        Aunt Rita             Episode: "Family Ties and Lies"